So anyway…

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Yay! It’s really, really spring, finally! There are two blow flies in the house (not that happy about that, but they are, after all, harbingers of spring), the lawn is freshly mown and smells really nice, the weather today is lovely and warm but not hot, and I just feel generally comfortable and in a good place, emotionally and spiritually (physically, I feel okay, though I’ve been having some trouble with my joints; I think it’s the air pressure).
Life is good.

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This recipe can be completely vegetarian or can have an optional meat garnish. It is very thick and reheats amazingly well (sometimes it’s better reheated the next day!), babies seem to enjoy eating it (at least, mine did), and it’s high in fibre. I’ve been cooking this for years and so far every person I’ve served it to loved it.

Ingredients:

• 1 lb (500 g) green or brown lentils
• 4 cups chicken or vegetable stock
• 2 Tbsp tomato paste
• 1 medium sized carrot, diced
• 2 stalks celery, diced
• 1 medium sized onion
• 1-2 cloves of garlic, crushed or finely chopped
• 1-2 Tbsp olive oil
• 1/2 tsp black pepper (or pepper to taste)
• 1 cup white or basmati rice (basmati is lower GI)
• Optional: 4-6 slices crumbled crisp bacon OR 250 g. (8 oz.) chopped smoked sausage (such as polish sausage)

Directions:

Prepare the lentils by putting them in a large bowl and rinsing well in cool water. Let them soak for a bit (just a few minutes is fine) and remove any floating hulls. Check through to make sure there are no foreign objects in the lentils (things like small rocks, sticks, etc., since they’re a natural product), and remove any lentils that look shrivelled up, overly dried, etc. Drain and set aside.

In a large pot, heat oil over a medium heat and add onions and garlic. Cook until onions are fragrant and partly translucent, then add stock, tomato paste, lentils, and vegetables. Stir well to mix in tomato paste. Bring to a boil, cover, simmer for 10 minutes.

Add rice and stir well.

Cover and simmer for 15-20 minutes, stirring occasionally and checking liquid absorption. If needed, add a little hot water and stir, then cover and continue cooking. If you are adding the optional bacon or smoked sausage, put it in after ten minutes (about five to ten minutes before the end of the cooking time). After the first fifteen minutes is up, test the rice to see if it is done (should be tender). The pilaf should be very thick.

Serve with crusty bread or a green salad if you like.

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Very interesting commentary on Sarah Palin’s conviction that her lack of experience is normal for a potential vice president of the United States. Lots of history in this, very thoughtful.

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I used to post a lot more links in this blog, but I stopped doing that when I got my Google Reader Shared Links thingy set up. I share all kinds of interesting stuff (well, I think it’s interesting, anyway) that way. So if you’re not reading it, and you like my sense of humour and share some of my interests, I really recommend you check it out.

Alternatively, if you’re reading the actual blog and not just the RSS feed, off to the side is a list of Stuff I’m Reading, and you can (and should!) check out the links.
Get it? Got it? Good!

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Well, it’s definitely spring, finally. I’m still recovering from my bout of flu, still very hoarse and somewhat irritable and tired. I did work up the energy to go outside and do a bit of yard work (shock horror), mostly just poisoning the alien-appearing weeds that have cropped up in the front yard.
And then I cleaned out the produce area of the kitchen and got rid of a bunch of apples and potatoes and other fruits and veg that have seen better days. We’ve got a new-to-us (i.e., it’s not new but we didn’t have it in our possession prior to this week) composting bin, and so I’ve started filling it up. The used cat litter is going to go in there, as well (we buy paper-based stuff that is totally compostable/biodegradable). It’s a pretty big bin, so I don’t know how long it’ll take to get the compost really going, but having a cat means you have a never ending supply of poo and litter, so maybe it’ll take less time than I think…
I’m pretty tired now, though. I didn’t do that much, but I feel pretty exhausted, and my cough isn’t quite gone, nor has my voice returned entirely yet (I lost it entirely for a while there, due to all the coughing). But, I do feel pleased that it’s spring. Spring is good. And so is life.

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This reminds me of Blink, the Dr. Who episode with the weeping angels. But in a good way, obviously.

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Ahoy, me mates! ‘Tis the 19th of September and therefore International Talk Like a Pirate Day! Arrgh! Shiver me knickers, boys!

Need ye some help to talk like a pirate? Check out these sites:

• Pirate talk, slang, lingo
• Pirate Glossary
• How to Talk Like a Pirate

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Are you concerned that the newly operational Large Hadron Collider might destroy the Earth? Well, now there’s an easy way to check!

(Note: I very much recommend reading the source code for that page. It’s a hoot.)

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